Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports previously reported that the 27-year-old Williams said of the prospect of retirement, “I contemplated it. I really sat down and envisioned life after basketball. I really saw myself not playing.”

My reaction to Williams’ retirement threat, while not as oxygen-depriving as CDR’s, was similar to when a garden variety boxing champion makes the same claim.

Earlier this week Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor virtually guaranteed that LeBron James would be booed if he attended today’s Ohio State-Miami football game in Columbus by telling Buckeye fans not to boo “my mentor.”

Before the game Saturday, ESPN college football reporter Bruce Feldmannoted on his Twitter account that, “OSU security guy said LeBron wanted a full police escort today..’He’ll probably get one guy… He made his decision.‘” Read more…

The LeBron James self-immolation parade continues this week as he’s back with more third person, revisionist wisdom in an interview with GQ magazine.

(Pinata endorsement part of the plan?)

Here’s some samples of the remarks James recently made to GQ writer J.R. Moehringer:

“It’s not far, but it is far. And Clevelanders, because they were the bigger-city kids when we were growing up, looked down on us.… So we didn’t actually like Cleveland. We hated Cleveland growing up. There’s a lot of people in Cleveland we still hate to this day.”

Despite those comments, James also curiously claimed to Moehringer that he’d consider one day returning to the Cavs:

“If there was an opportunity for me to return and those fans welcome me back, that’d be a great story.”

Somehow I think that story though won’t be authored by current Cavs owner Dan Gilbert. James, once again speaking in third person: Read more…

Stuart Scott recently conducted a chat on ESPN.com in which he discussed his feelings about LeBron James and the role ESPN played in the NBA player’s move from Cleveland to Miami.

I excerpted a selection of Scott’s comments from the chat and responded to his remarks in bold.

Scott: As a free agent LBJ owed Cleveland nothing. That’s not disrespect, it’s just his right based on rules and bylaws established before he set foot in the NBA. Narcissistic? Star athlete has big decision, ubiquitous sports network is there to cover it.

From what we now know, the prospect of such an ESPN-enabled production may have been the main reason why James dragged out his choice for so long - causing such acute consternation to the people of Cleveland.

Scott: That’s what we do. … I am proud of the dozens of people who worked on that show. And for all the criticism it received, a 7.6 cable rating is ginormous. Read more…

Dear Cleveland, All Of Northeast Ohio and Cleveland Cavaliers Supporters Wherever You May Be Tonight;

As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier.

This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his “decision” unlike anything ever “witnessed” in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment.

Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us.

The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you.

There is so much more to tell you about the events of the recent past and our more than exciting future. Over the next several days and weeks, we will be communicating much of that to you.

You simply don’t deserve this kind of cowardly betrayal.

You have given so much and deserve so much more.

In the meantime, I want to make one statement to you tonight:

“I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE”